The chip can be used for DNA amplification, biochemical analysis, single cell analysis and high-throughput experimentation, among other applications. It avoids high-voltage electronic instrumentation for droplet merger under electrostatic forces. The Droplet Merger Chip squeezes droplets together in a carefully designed merging chamber. Future versions could be disposable.

Figure. Droplet merging of two individual droplet streams in the new Droplet Merger Chip, Dolomite and GigaGen.

GigaGen Inc. filed a patent application describing the chip design and its applications in the field of genetic analysis of cells. As part of a license agreement with GigaGen Inc., Dolomite will be offering the technology starting in 2012 to research users in academia and commercial users in a range of application areas. Dolomite’s partnership with Sphere Fluidics opens up a range of available surfactants, noted Dr. Andrew Lovatt, CEO of Dolomite, to optimize droplet behavior and stability under various temperature and biological conditions.

GigaGen provides technology to clinical researchers and physicians, unlocking personalized genetic data and guiding disease treatments from routine blood draws. GigaGen has developed a patent-pending core technology for high-throughput measurement of dozens of genetic loci in millions of single cells in parallel. The technology combines advanced microfluidics, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics to genetically analyze millions of single cells per hour. For further information, visit www.gigagen.com.

I am interested in the isolation of genes from single cells. The ideal platform would be I sort about a thousand of cells, then use microfluidics to convert mRNA into cDNA, then get some amplification, finally collect the PCR products. Could you suggest any microfluidics work for these? Thanks, Shigui

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